A Good Game
by The Feisty Rogue
Summary: How Hagrid came upon a cerberus.


**A Good Game**

* * *

Hades was bored. Not even the screams of souls, tortured for eternity, blistering away on the coals of Hell could entertain him. There was nothing for it. As much as he might despise it, he would have to visit the mortal realm.

At least he would be able to entertain himself with the Blessed, or as they called themselves, the witches and wizards of the magical world.

"Abezethibou," he bellowed. "Walkies!"

An enormous, slobbering hellhound bounded toward him from the shadows of his throne room. Its eyes were black as night, its teeth gleamed like ivory tipped swords, and each of its three heads dangerous enough to put the fear of Hell into any weak-minded god or goddess.

"Who's a good boy?" Hades asked, patting Abezethibou's middle head. "You are, aren't you?"

Abezethibou growled, then panted, tongue lolling, snapping his teeth in a playful manner.

Hades clipped a leash onto Abezethibou's harness. He ruffled the mutt's ears, all six of them, and then placed a hand on his back.

"Ready?"

He snapped his fingers, transporting them to the mortal realm.

Hogsmeade was as quaint as ever, snow falling like icing sugar on the gingerbread village. Hades turned his face to the sky and enjoyed the feeling of snowflakes settling upon his lashes. Hell was insufferably warm, sometimes.

Hades's favourite pub, not that he would ever admit it, was The Hogs Head. It was scummy and grimy and full of spiders and the dregs of society drinking as if the bottom of the tankard would solve all of their problems. In other words, it was perfect.

"Abe," he called as he entered, Abezethibou following at his heel. "Good eve to you!"

"Eh, not you again," Abe snarled, slamming down the glass he'd been polishing. "Firewhisky, ey?"

Hades smiled, revealing his sharpened canines. While on topside he couldn't reveal his true self… but no one had said he wasn't allowed a few embellishments upon his mortal form.

"You know me so well, dear Abe," Hades replied.

Abe rolled his eyes, one of the few that never flinched no matter whether Hades made his eyes appear as if his pupils were alight with flame or his shadow grow to tower over him as he spoke.

"Piss off," he said. "Sanguini's more frightening than you are."

"Well, excuse me!"

A man so pale Hades would have assumed him dead, with skin like parchment and dark bags beneath his eyes, finished his drink, a blood red wine, and stormed from the building.

"Heh," Abe grunted. "Bloody vampires. So sensitive, whether it be personal jokes or sunlight."

Perhaps the drink had simply been blood red, with no wine at all. He snorted at his own joke and settled Abezethibou when the hound growled and began to pace. Foolish dog.

"Five sickles," Abe said.

Hades accepted the Firewhisky Abe had poured him and paid, before turning to survey the room. Most of the occupants were sitting in groups of twos and threes, but there was one man on his own, drinking a cauldron full of mead by himself.

The man in question was extraordinarily large. In fact, he was so large that Hades deduced he must be part giant. He cradled the cauldron in one hand and was playing a game of cards against himself. Intrigued, Hades stepped closer.

"Who's this good boy, then?" the giant asked, his gaze settling upon Abezethibou. He had a thick West Country accent and a beard that rivalled Poseiden's. He rose from his seat, and Hades was discomforted to find that the giant loomed over even he, King of the Underworld.

"There you go!" the giant said. He was patting Abezethibou, giving affection to each of the hell hound's three head. "Good doggy!"

Abezethibou seemed to be enjoying the attention, and Hades decided that he could tolerate anyone who found a hell hound to be an acceptable pet. He took a seat opposite the giant and gestured to the cards.

"What are you playing?"

"Oh, it's a silly game called solitaire. It's not much, but it passes the time," the giant replied. "My name's Hagrid, by the way. Just Hagrid."

"A pleasure to meet you," Hades replied. "You may call me… Hades."

"That's a right good name, it is," Hagrid said. He beamed, before turning his attention back to Abezethibou, lavishing more praise on the dog.

Hades blinked.

"Indeed."

"Fancy a game then?" Hagrid asked, turning back with raised brows. "I'm rather nifty at poker, if I say so myself."

"Of course," Hades said. He smiled. No mortal had ever beaten him at a game of chance.

* * *

_Three hours later…_

"And that's a Jack of Hearts and a Queen of Hearts. Full house!" Hagrid declared.

Hades stared at the table before him, unable to believe his eyes. He smiled weakly at Hagrid, who was so guileless, so innocent, that he couldn't even accuse the giant of cheating.

"You win," Hades admitted. He clenched his fists beneath the table and considered causing a small meteorological phenomenon: a bolt of lightning to strike this public house and slay everyone inside but himself, and Abezethibou.

But no. It wouldn't be fair.

Hagrid had beaten him. Hades had been steadily winning all evening, until this final round. Hagrid had staked his cottage, out of money and out of luck, and Hades had countered with the one thing he valued in the mortal world: Abezethibou.

"Come on now, Fluffy!" Hagrid said, taking the leash from Hades's numb fingers. "You'll be good for mummy, won't you? Good boy!"

"Well played," Hades whispered, as Hagrid left the pub, Abezethibou following happily behind him as Hagrid bribed him with the meat somehow buried in the depths of his pockets.

"Well played."

* * *

_Word Count: 952_

_Day 2, Auction 1 — Prompt 4: Hades [Word Count: 952 - Coins: 19]_


End file.
